Shadows of the heart
by Hells agent
Summary: Darkness is slowly corrupting the Heart of Candrakar... and its keeper with it. But, she will eventually learn that even in the hell there is someone to love... and it just might be the most unexpected person. PW
1. Chapter 1

This fic can pass off as a oneshot - but it is not meant to be one, I assure you. I wrote it in about 15 minutes and it's like 4:00 AM here… so please do not be too harsh on my pitiful writing. I'm just submitting it because, frankly, it's a wee better than the others (trust me, I made a lot of them)… If I get more than 3 reviews, I'll continue it - and then, please do tell me whether I _should_ add a tad of Will/Caleb or not…

Remember, I'm MOSTLY Will/Phobos lover, and THEN Will/Caleb one.

I do not own W.I.T.C.H… I think that anyone with a sane mind would realize that by now.

And yeah, this fic feature alternate "final battle" theme. I _know_ it happened nowhere near like this. Also, Guardians are 2 years older in this story; so I guess it's not _that_ bad for those "OMG-Will/Phobos-is-just-wrong-she's-too-young" maniacs.

Enjoy!

**It's all that matters**

"Okay, girls. You know what you have to do."

They nodded - well, all besides Cornelia, who smiled viciously and flinched her hair, in her specific way of showing agreement. Will didn't care; as long as Cornelia helped guarding the Veil, it was completely not important whether the Earth guardian was overly sure in herself. She did the job, just as Will did… and it was all it mattered.

But that fact couldn't help Will feel that annoying, painful feeling in her throat while watching her friends fly off. It didn't help her feel better about being alone; about being cold; about being… useless.

_That's what you are, Will_, a voice muttered softly in her head, _use-less… You've been given a precious gift, the ultimate power, yet you are not capable of using it…_

Keeper of the Heart of Candrakar. How bitter - but truthful - that sounded all of the sudden… because that was all she was doing; holding the shining, pink crystal, and pretending to do something while her friends did all the job.

It was the end, that day. Final battle for Meridian was about to began… and she was bound to watch it from far away, being warned by Caleb not to close in to battle; since, after all, he might be powerless, but he at least knew how to fight.

Once upon a time, Will has been _free_. There were no nightmares to disturb her sleep… there was no pain. Her friends always understood what happened to her, because they usually suffered all the same; but now, she knew she was the only one getting through that torture - and that nobody would ever understand her.

Battle got fired up, but Will barely saw it. She felt tears filling her reddish eyes until monsters, rebels and Guardians became but smudges; and all the screams and cries for help were lost in her sobs. But there was nobody to ease her this time; while she was loosing herself in self-pity, people were dieing.

But Will had no power, and no will, for stopping that.

There was no surprise, no screams or flinches when she felt somebody's eyes on herself; she's been through that so many times, that it almost felt like routine. Her dreams prepared her for everything… or so she thought.

What she didn't expect was to feel an arm - maybe cold, and lifeless also, but an arm nonetheless - creeping at her shoulders. What she didn't expect was to hear the whisper - brushing her ears like a soft, southern wind, yet piercing her heart with a thousand daggers.

"_You are not destined to be a failure_", the voice said, and Will felt a sudden urge to cry and laugh at the same time; because, out of all people she knew, and out of all people she loved, she got her soul-medicine from her enemy.

Silent, tears slowly fading from her eyes, Will turned to face him.

"You were meant for greater things, Guardian" he hissed, his green eyes shining of malice; but Will has never felt a greater urge to trust someone.

She closed her eyes as he folded his arms around her, and she knew he transported her away from battle. But, then again, it _just didn't matter_. Someone was embracing her, someone was _talking to her_, promising her things she wanted to hear; and Will just wanted to believe him, and to give into his arms, as she has done so many times before, during her countless nights full of dreams; just, this time it was real… and she didn't knew whether it was good thing or bad.

"_There was a promise, a long time ago_" he whispered, as she tensed under his arms "_Dark wizards of all worlds came together to resolve their destiny…_ _And so it was decided that _you_ would come along._"

Will breathed briefly, as his arms found their way around her flaming skin; she was fire as much as he was ice. And, in a strange way, she fitted him perfectly; every curve of her body, every motion or sound, found its counterpart in him.

It was like the very moment they touched, they locked together… never to be separated again.

"_From the light you slid into darkness; you let it color your heart. Even your eyes are turning dark, Will… you resemble darkness more than you ever resembled Candrakar. Give into it… because it _is_ your destiny. You will get power as no mortal has ever dreamed of…"_

And with those final words, Will felt her world spinning; fire was in her bones, in her chest and in her heart. She pulled herself closer to him, so close that she could feel his breath on her forehead; and then she forgot herself in his kiss.

"Dreams are a very useful thing, my Prince" she muttered into his lips, and world finally disappeared around her.

Will opened her eyes.

_Yeah,_ she thought as she shut down her alarm clock, _yeah, they really are…_


	2. Shades of Water I

Okay, I needed to write this chapter. It's more explaining than anything… I just had to explain: how Phobos got interest in Will anyway; how she's not a goodie herself; and how dreams started corrupting her. As for Irma and Elyon, you'll know what's happening to them soon enough… then it's time for Hay Lin, Taranee, AND, at the end, Cornelia. Yeah, yeah, I don't mind being bashed by her fans, I don't like the girl. She'll _suffer_. Oh yeah.

Besides, what would a random Will fan do other than bash Cornelia, I ask you? She's mean towards our baby! cries

Just a random tip. Will wrote down _everything_ that will happen to her friends, but just like a fiction. She didn't exactly know that he'll make it all come truth. Heh, the fool. The fact that Phobos thinks she knew, doesn't change it. He's _wrong._

Note: **this** is Will's POV. **_this_** is Will's writing. Weehee!

R&R! OH please R&R!

* * *

**Shades of water I**

Wilhelmina Vandom was an angsty, rebellious, half-depressed, lonely girl, blessed by four friends who hardly gave a heck for her… and, yeah, that would be it.

Or not.

One thing for sure: she _never_ felt special about herself. She had a stalker boyfriend - whom easily broke up with her, after finding out that Hay Lin was _far_ more interesting that herself - a sneaky mom and bad grades. What was there to be proud off? Ability to make herself look older, have wings and scare enemies by a flash of pink light? Yeah, _right._

But, as the matter of fact, there _was_ one thing Will was proud of herself for. Surprisingly, it wasn't her remarkable swimming skills. She gave up swimming one rainy day when depression hit her real hard, and never regretted it. No, it was the way she was writing.

She felt special in her dreams. But, soon after she realized that she couldn't be pleased by just dreaming… that there _had _to be the world where she would be the one giving out rules… and then she started writing.

She was incredibly talented, too. In fact, it only took two minutes for her Literature teacher to realize that he's looking at the future writer, and for Will to realize her fate.

She grew better and better at it, to the point when there was no mark to describe her skills; and it was that point when her writing stopped being just a pencil-on-paper, dead thing, and came to life, affecting the object of her dreams and her affections.

It wasn't surprising that Phobos very soon discovered her little hobby. But, as she became more and more occupied by it, his interested grew; and, at the end, he found himself reading her pain, her misery, hopes and fears, all written up… and when he came up with a brilliant idea.

Will was, indeed, a very creative girl. He had to give her credit for writing down that many wonderful ways to make other people miserable. He took her ideas, and started making her stories come true… in the most cruel way.

But as the years went by, and as he realized his favorite little Guardian grew into a graceful teenager, and then into one of the most beautiful women he has ever seen - his gaze suddenly stopped on her newest, and most important of all creations…

Some sort of _future diary_.

She must've known about his little entertainment. She _must've_ known the risk she was taking by writing that… that… horror; because it was there where she wrote down the fate of her friends, of Elyon, and of herself.

Phobos really thought about fulfilling _that_ one. It sure was full of risk, and insanely brave, too; but, he would get his payment…

And that was when he started to pay her longer visits at night, at first confused with himself, then more and more sure with what he was doing; because he always got what he wanted. And Will Vandom would be the best prize he have ever won.

So he let her stories rule his reality during the day, slowly gaining the almost insane amount of power; he drained the life of the peasants with remarkable lack of effort, easily as in a game. But, during the night, he was the supreme master of _her_ world… She was almost broken in the inside, depressed and lonely; but, still, in her heart there was a dark place, full of power and pain, equal only to his in it's pure horror. She was beautiful, she was lonely, she was _his_.

Yes, there wasn't a girl better suited to play along his sick little games… because she was given a gift greater than anything Candrakar could give to her… and she was eager to use it.

* * *

**You know that feeling…**

…**when it seems like world has stopped around you?  
When everything you loved back away, and you're all alone?**

**When you wish there was no more tears, no more pain…**

…**and when your wish is not fulfilled?**

**_I _know it, of course. I goddamn suffer through it every day… **

…**Guardians of the Veil are no more, if you ask me. It's more like Holy Cornelia and her servants, followed by Will, or something…**

**I don't know what to say. Maybe I just enjoy pitying myself, and this all is just some kind of teen angst. It'll pass me, right?**

**WRONG.**

**Because that feeling isn't angst; it's that soft fire in my veins, it's that moaning whisper in my heart.**

**It's painful, it's forbidden, it's dark.**

**But it's a part of me, at the same time.**

**It's _him_. And he won't leave until he gets what he wants.

* * *

**

"Will?"

_**She raises her head, gracefully as always; maiden of dark, the shine of death.**_

"What do you want, Hay Lin?"

_**Words are soft as silk… and cold as ice; they hit straight into the heart, without mercy.**_

"Err… You should stop writing, figures. The break is over."

"Oh alright already…"

Will slowly picked up her notebook, and watched the confused Air Guardian walking away. With a shrug, the redhead decided to follow. There was no need to skip class, not with grades _she _had.

However, as she approached her so called "friends", Will felt herself shiver slightly… It seemed that "Queen Cornelia" made up with her boyfriend once again.

_Oh, not AGAIN… What's wrong with that boy? Can't he see that he's but a trophy for her?_

Caleb, on his side, didn't look very worried. In fact, the part of him that wasn't busy with Cornelia, was probably on vacation.

Will let out a despising sound, and turned to face her best friend.

"Why hello, Pinkie".

The redhead blinked. Not because of the stupid nickname - she had to let Irma have her fun - but because Water Guardian sounded - and looked - _tired_ and sick…

"Irma. _Talk_."

"Oh, common, Will. Everyone looks _bad_ from time to time…"  
"Not you. So I'm telling you, better tell me, or you will have to respond to your leader."

"You're my leader, silly."

Will didn't even bother to respond.

"Oh alright, I was having some really realistic bad dreams, okay? Nothing serious!"

But one word hit Will, who grabbed Irma's shoulders, her eyes burning…

"Dreams?"

* * *

_**Drip. Drop.**_

**_The cold liquid slowly found its way down her fragile body; for years have she suffered her torture, but it is today that she can no longer take it. Slowly, she feels arms of death creeping around her pearly shoulders… ready to take her to her eternal home._**

"Elyon."

Small figure shivered in dark. There was no response; not like Phobos expected one, anyway.

"I would just like to inform you… Meridian shall soon have a queen."

If Elyon was surprised by this, she sure did a great job hiding it. Not one sound graced the air of her cell… except for the ever dreaded sound of magical chains hitting the wall behind her, in the rhythm of her shivers.

"Oh, dear sister. I thought you would be happy for me." he laughed slightly, and lifted her chin roughly.

"You know what that means, don't you, Elyon? Once another female sit on your throne…"

Elyon's silver eyes didn't show any emotions. If she was still able to have any, that is.

"…Your power shall be hers… and MINE."

Letting his sister fall back at the wall, Phobos smiled.

Just smiled, but it was enough for Elyon to be sent into another series of shivers.

"And oh, is she going to be a better queen than you would, my precious Elyon."

Dry lips urged to open; with a harsh sound, Elyon forced herself to speak.

A drop of blood showed up on the edge of her mouth… and with a last effort, she had the success.

"F…fool" Elyon spat, and a reddish trace on her face grew wider "W…will is… n...never goin…going…to give in…"

"Oh, dearest. Don't be so harsh, it's not _nice_." he mocked walking away "Besides, she already has given in…"

The door closed behind the King of Meridian, leaving his sister to the blackness once again.

_**Drip. Drop.**_

**_Death has backed away. There is no mercy for her; there is no rest. She shall never see light again, and there is no trace of hope in her eyes. Being immortal and alone… forever… it's her fate; and there is no choice but to accept it.

* * *

_**

If you're confused/revolted, or crazy - tell me in your reviews. I'll explain it there, hopefully.

So, R&R!


	3. Shades of Water II

**Disclaimer**: Okay, think about it this way: if I owned W.I.T.CH… would Cornelia still be alive?

Nope… didn't think so.

**Authors note:** Heh, guess some people DO enjoy my senseless ramblings. Alrighty, this took a while… but I hope this one makes a tad more sense than the previous chapter. Remember, **_this_ **is Will's writing… and _**this**_ is her POV. Yeah, my Cornelia bashing is not yet here. Patience, young ones. We shall have our revenge in the last chapter. Boy, will we.

And I know it's short. I just kind of dislike writing very long chapters. They bore me.

So… do enjoy. I just re-watched "It begins" and Phobos saying "Interesting" while looking at Will's face simply did the trick for this chapter. I luff the guy, he's simply a muse for dark-Will fics. It IS truth that Nerissa shows more power… But, she's butt ugly, female and way lacking mystery. Phobos is a better villain when it comes to fanfiction, I hope everybody agrees with me.

Read on.

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**_This is the story of guardians. Five young girls, thrown into the war; one after another, they play the game… and one after another, they slowly fall._**

**_First there was the Water Guardian. Brave, but childish, she fell into her trap; and there was no blood, no pain known to world, to describe torture that filled her night._**

Will sank deeper into her seat. Why, oh _why_ did she come to this "hang-out-session" anyway? She should've known it was just another excuse for Cornelia to _show-off_ her boyfriend. In Cornelia's language, that meant "blush intensively and go around making out". Sweeeeeeet.

Taranee was busy talking to Hay Lin about Matt's and Nigel's feelings. Cornelia haven't allowed Caleb to breathe for about five minutes. That left Will to write, and Irma to…

The redhead frowned. What the _hell_ was wrong with Irma lately? Unless her writing really _did_ come truth… but that couldn't be… right? Eh.

Will raised her notebook to her eyes and silently watched her best friend over it. Yeah, everything was as she described a few days ago. Heavy eyelids, messy hair, pale as death…

Cursing under her breath, Will fell into another panic attack. She _couldn't_ have done that. She just wrote down random predictions; it was merely a _shadow_ of her real abilities. What the hell was going on? Because, if her writing really did come alive… Irma would die very soon.

**_She did nothing to suffer, she has done nothing wrong; but dreams came nonetheless, ripping her mind with screaming song. Alone in her pain, she sails through night… wishing to that all to end, for she has no strenght to fight._**

"Common" Will whispered, and pulled Irma up. Nobody looked up; but at that point, Will didn't care. "Common, Irma. Let's get out of here."

They slowly left the caffe, Irma with the same glossy shine to her eyes, hanging on Will's shoulders. Redhead cast another look at the other Guardians… and left; because nobody, not even one of them, noticed that two of five forever left their places.

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Phobos smirked at the sight of his Guardian, who was obviously struggling to reverse her doings. Of course, it was all futile… since, no matter how hard she tried, she would always give into her passions; that was the way humans were made. And, wanting it or not, it was with passion she wrote about death, about pain and sorrow. And it will be that passion that will eventually drive to him, yearning for answers only he was able to give her.

Throwing a little bit _more_ sand on his looking glass, alone in the throne room, he changed the picture to Will's notebook. To the writing that started it all. Innocent, dead ink… but in his mischevious hands, even the most pure of things became a deadly weapon.

"She has no more strenght to fight" he read quietly "No need for you to fight either, little Guardian. She is almost gone… Do not let grief take a hold on you; your soul is so beautifully clean without it… so amazingly prepared for power you will have."

And with another toss of sand, the reflection of her face showed in the glass; it was frustrated, panicked, even angry. Everything one would expect from a girl who were, though unknowingly, killing off her friends.

But, in her eyes, he spotted only darkness, that beautiful epithet of night; shadows found their place there, mixing blood-red with crimson and black. At first not important, just an effect of light; but he was well aware of what they presented. Shadows of the once pure heart… reflecting what it will become.

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**_Moon is her enemy, now that all hope has gone; she despises the stars and the cruel light they shone. It truly is the easiest, and for her only path… to give into darkness and learn its refined craft._**

Will has bitterly remembered that, whilst looking into the beautiful midnight sky. Irma lied beside her, and it seemed as if she was staring at the same thing as her redheaded friend; but Will somehow knew that Irma's soul went far beyond that sky… and that glance was not meant for the star's vulnerable shine, but for the things darker, sinister even, beyond her comprehend.

Irma went on the long journey… the one where not even Will could accompany her.

But it was not yet the time, as the girl was silently aware. Irma would not leave her thus soon, she simply wasn't ready; so, for now, Will decided it was best to lay there in dark, helplessly hoping that the threat would disappear. They were indeed just children, not ready to face death. It seems like evil, but divine thing when it's headed for someone you don't know; but when it's your time, it is nothing but an assassin.

_GOD I'm hypocritical,_ Will scolded herself, casting yet another glance at her dying friend. _In this case, even if Irma dies, death won't be the assassin; that role is meant for me. The threat won't get away, since I created it. _

_But why? I do not have the power to do this! And, more importantly, I do not have the power to stop it either…_

With the sudden motion, Will reached for the pendant that has been entrusted to her… in the same manner she did so many times, she silently asked it to help. For a long time she didn't look at it, did not praise its beauty and its power. But maybe… just maybe… the Heart of Candracar would help her once again.

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**A/N: So, like it or not, review. I do not mind flames very much, remember. Just, I plead you, do not read any further if you're going to leave me reviews like "U R idiot, Corny RCKS! C&C 4evah!" and so on, now when Corny's about to get pwned. I appreciate if somebody likes Cornelia, but I noticed that there is a vast number of crazy Cornelia fangirls that tend to post completely retarded reviews. It's just plain annoying.**

**So, I leave you with this. Next time: Irma's gone. Elyon's almost gone. Caleb has his doubts. Cornelia's insanely jealous. **

**And of course, Will's slowly discovering her new, oh-so-very-awesome evil powers.  
**

**God I love making people miserable.**

**HA**


	4. Fading Fire I

Eh. I lit a candle for W.I.T.C.H. yesterday - not that it will help, but oh well. That show is dead as a dodo. I have given up.

Still! Look upon the bright side; ff .net(the same plain website you're looking at right now, for ignorants) is dieing as well. Seriously. Look at it.

Except, of course, the almighty South Park section, which will never die, as long as us S&K shippers live to support it. Really, SP section is where all prejudices against homosexuals go to Hell. It's the only place where our Stan and Kyle loving bliss can reach its peak, and no homophobe will ever DARE show his head in it.

Sorry for the rant, but I needed to chat for a while… fell lonely…

Now, now, keep on reading! And sorry for Will's utter emo-ness in this chapter, I assure you that she'll recover completely. I _don't_ really like black-wearing-living-is-pain semi-poets (GASP!) so Will won't be one either. At least… not for long.

Kiss!

* * *

**Shadows of the heart;**

**Flightless**

Taranee didn't cry at the funeral.

Hay Lin didn't wear black… nor white. She wore green instead.

Cornelia didn't show up.

And Will didn't leave.

Five hours after the funeral was over, Wilhelmina was still standing beside the grave, staring at the sky. Surprisingly, it wasn't raining.

She doubted it would ever rain again.

"I hate you" she said to no one in particular; the cemetery was empty and dark around her. "I hate you so much."

But the only reply she got was a cold, piercing song of wind.

The world was laughing at her.

* * *

"Have you forgotten everything I taught you, Elyon? Have you got no intention of trying to oppose me?"

His sister took the right to remain silent.

"Your clock is ticking… the sand of time is running out. She will soon be ready. And then, sister, your life will end."

She needed no time at all; if it was for her, she would die right there, before his eyes, and he knew it.

Phobos turned around, and with the last skorning look towards Elyon, left the room.

As he was retreating to his chambers - one of those dark and glorious parts of palace where only honored servants had the right to step in - he felt it again. A gap between his heartbeats. A flaw in his breathing. And he knew that Will had to hurry.

If Elyon wasn't in need for time, he most surely was.

* * *

"Will, honey?"

_**I was afraid that I'd die…**_

_**that I would suffer, feel only pain**_

_**Truth is, I forgot how to fly**_

_**they cut my wings, and I'm insane**_

"Will, I'm going out… do you want me to get anything for you?"

_**In the most peaceful of all worlds,**_

_**in the most dark of all sights**_

_**There is only horror, without words**_

_**in the endless graveyard of my heart**_

"I know Irma's death hit you hard, dear, but you can't just close yourself into this room for six days! You hardly had any sleep! I'm worried about you, Will."

"Don't you _say _that!" Will shrieked, turning to face her mother; and Susan Vandom backed away before the malice that shone from her daughter's eyes. "Don't you DARE worry about me! Don't you DARE love me!"

_Erm, Will, that just **screamed** emo, _little voice in her head said, but she ignored it. She had her rights. Emo or not, this book had to be finished, her wishes included.

_**So give me back my wings, my dark knight**_

_**Give me back my heart, my hope**_

_**We can fly together through the night**_

_**Facing all fears we can't cope**_

Her mother didn't need to be told twice. Casting another frightened look at her daughter, she left the apartment…

…leaving Will to her grief, and her writing.

For six days she was trying to get herself to burn that be-cursed notebook. For six days she was trying to shred it to pieces. She was trying and trying, but every night she would return to the same table, insomnia burning her from within. And she would write, and cry so wildly she'd cease to see her tears mixing with ink, blurring the letters and making the paper wet; but in the morning, she'd find herself still sitting there, blankly staring at the pale sky.

And so it was now. She had absolutely no idea whom was she writing to, or what was she writing about… it was what her heart wanted, and she gave in.

Heart of Kandrakar didn't help Irma, Will remembered sourly, wiping the tears away. Because, at the last moment, when Irma's heartbeats slowed down and her eyes glared oh-so-emptily in the sky, Will pleaded the Heart to help her… But it was that moment when she realized that the crystal was no more pink, no more the same symbol of light she was wearing for such a long time.

No, she saw, horrified as Irma's breathing disappeared and silence got over her bedroom, Heart of Kandrakar was silverish and pale, like the ocean; it was dead.

And such a cruel irony it was. In the same moment she lost the only two things she thought were always there for her; her best friend and her heart.

Because, there was no more difference between the Heart of Kandrakar and her own, they merged, they overlapped, they lived as one… and once the shining apron stopped living, Will's heart stopped as well.

Will folded the papers neatly, and stared into the words for a moment.

"My dark knight" she whispered, brushing gently the words with her fingertips, and pressed her pale face to the paper, wishing that it was able to give her some warmth; but she was lonely, and her love towards writing was unreturned. "If there is no light in my life anymore… I guess dark is the only thing I can hope for."

* * *

Taranee Cook smiled wearily at her boyfriend, adjusting her scarf with nervous, panicked fingers.

"What's wrong, Tara?" Nigel asked in a worried tone, and raised her chin to be able to look into her eyes. "You've been quiet all day… what's up? Is it… Irma?"

"Quite surprisingly, no" Taranee sighed, and pointed her frightened brown eyes to the horizon. "It's just…. so… cold."

Nigel laughed a bit, though this time it was a laugh of pure worry.

"What are you talking about, Taranee? Today's the warmest day this autumn, look - people are wearing T shirts!"

Taranee hugged herself tightly.

"Cold…" she repeated in a whisper.

Few blocks away, Will smiled softly as the Heart blinked, shining with fire.

"Oh, Irma" she said in a quiet voice, and for a moment she was sure she felt her heart beating again. "Why is this happening to me?"

But instead of hearing a response from her dead friend, she heard the doorbell.

_Who could that be_? _Yet another hypocritical Irma's "friend" to say he's sorry for me, for some reason? Why don't they go and say that to her parents, like normal people do?_

But as she opened the door, she didn't need to think about whether her heart was beating or not, because at that moment, it threatened to explode.

_Caleb._

"Um" the rebel leader smoothly said, while blood was dripping from his forehead in a very, very ugly way. _Typical_. "Can I… come in?"

Will just moved to let him pass, her eyebrows still raised high to Heavens, and her heart still wanting to fly out of her body.

Caleb knocked on her door, once again, and Will remembered almost _too_ well what happened the last time.

She wasn't too sure whether Caleb in her house was a good thing or not, because it was a direct threat that Cornelia would soon knock her door off with her telekinesis and drag him out again…

…and that was when Will realized what she was about to do before he appeared, and she felt _sick. _If Caleb didn't appear… Yet another one of the Guardians would be gone.

For one more time, Will Vandom was grateful for his undying ability to show up at the most inappropriate of all times.

* * *

**There you go, folks**! Remember, IF you ever fall in the hole with complete stranger: don't let cheery friends save him instead of you… even if you fly worse than a chicken; and if you see blonde bimbo's smiling at the boy you like, kick her in the face and run for your lives, him included. And hooking up with random stalkers is a nono. You _don't_ want you to become Will, now DO you?

REVIEW! What kind of attention whore WOULD I be if I didn't ask at least three reviews for this thing? Tsk… I bring shame to all of us.

HA


	5. Fading Fire II

**SHADOWS OF THE HEART**

**Chapter 5; Fire**

* * *

_It gets too dark for me to see_

_You're walking away but I can't scream_

_I reach towards you but you're not here_

_It's all a part of frozen history_

He was hurt.

She put her small hands on his chest, wrapping the bandages with unready fingers, wishing for him not to die… not now, not in her bed, bloodied and wounded – he was _supposed _to die in another's embrace. She wrote it all down, mazohistically, replacing her own name with Cornelia's…

…but then, why was he here?

Will fastened the knots, and glanced at his eyes.

"Thank you…"

"… why are you doing this, Caleb?" she asked quietly "You know Cornelia can heal, so why?"

"… because you care" Caleb whispered in a rough voice.

"I see." Will stood up, and headed towards the window. "How did you get hurt?"

_You KNOW that already, you hypocrite_, her inner self accused her… _You were the one to hurt him, you're the one that hurt all of them…_

"They caught me smuggling food to the prisoners" he murmured "Nothing exciting, really."

"Oh."

_Where are the days when we'd bicker, and laugh, and look at each other without guilt?_

… _was one night enough to ruin all of that? Really?_

"I'm sorry."

Will looked at him in surprise, her beautiful, dark eyes widening. "You know that sorry isn't enough, Caleb."

"I'm not apologizing for what happened" he said, starting to stand up. "I'm sorry for leaving you. Again."

Will couldn't help but give him a small smile.

"It's alright, Caleb. Go to her. She wants you by her side more than I do."

She watched him leave, still unsure on his legs, and realized that wasn't the Caleb she fell in love with – it wasn't the man she shared all her dreams with, and it surely wasn't the man with whom she shared all those nights…

…it was the same man that left her back then, with no explanation other than a rushed "Sorry", and a brief look of guilt.

So she slowly walked back to her desk, sat down, and turned a blank sheet of paper.

"Sorry to you too, Caleb…" She murmured as the words started to write themselves.

Somehow, she knew that night she would dream once again.

* * *

Phobos frowned lightly at the image in the sand. She was writing once again… re-doing already written chapters; and it seemed she realized too well what was going on…

But then, his frown was replaced with a smirk.

She _was_ amazing alright.

"Cedric" he called "Prepare the incantation room."

"But, my Prince" his advisor let out surprised "You know you aren't supposed to alter the chant once it's written down…"

"Fool" Phobos spat. "Writing is easily changed… but you do not understand the art of destruction, now do you…"

Cedric allowed himself to raise an eyebrow.

"Alright, my prince… it will be as you inquired."

Phobos was left alone, and then focused back on the picture of his princess.

"Sleep, Will… Dreams will come to you very soon…"

He sometimes wondered whether it was worth it – whether the girl had the power to do this, whether _she _was appropriate for the difficult gift he had for her, but now he was certain.

Because she realized her role, and was still brave enough to play it.

* * *

_She turned around in the fog, only half-surprised; so much time has passed since the last time she was encircled with this darkness, with this much evil…_

… _but she was even more surprised to discover that this time, it didn't attack her; it crawled around her legs, like a bodyless pet, like a demon of her soul._

"_Where are you?" She called, her voice echoing in the fog, softness of the dark smoothing her skin, petting her hair…_

_A quiet rustle behind her was the answer._

_Will turned around on her heel, and saw him standing there – quiet as usual, but this time he held something in his hand._

"_The… Heart?" she whispered "How…"_

"…_this is not the Heart" Phobos answered flatly. "This is a mere replica. Like the one you've been keeping till today."_

_Will gave him a questioning look._

"_Show me" she pleaded "I have so much questions that need to be answered… so much sadness I want to escape from…"_

"_You do, don't you." He shifted his weigth, this time looking directly at her; "Well, I guess it can't be helped…"_

_His hand gripped hers, and she followed him into the darkness._

_Somehow, it felt like home._

* * *

"The true Heart, Will, is now your own..."

Will let him lead her towards the light; like exiting a tunnel, it blinded her for a short moment, but then she saw… mirrors.

"Look at yourself, and tell me… how have you not guessed it before? The power is stored in the pendant, that's for sure, but the moment it finds its keeper it merges with her... would it make sense for the center of the Universe to have its power stored in a necklace?"

Will felt nothing could surprise her anymore. But he let her go just to lace something on her neck, and she let out a small gasp of surprise when she saw it…

… a pendant… the one transparent, and blissful, and shiny like a small star hanging from a black ribbon…

She felt the familiar sensation of being _called_, of being _wanted_; like the first time she took the Heart of Kandrakar in her hands, she was being born once again.

Her heart was beating, she felt it – threatening to explode almost – trembling, and flapping inside her chest.

"This time, Will… you won't die. The Heart of Kandrakar is a shadow, remember – only a shadow of _your _heart… "

What _was _it about him that he always said things that made her sound special?

"You don't have to die for the others, Will; I'm giving you another life… for you to live it as you please."

She turned around to him, and smiled.

"Thank you" Will whispered "Thank you… for giving me back my heart…"

"You know this will cost you."

"I know. But, I'll… I'll be happy to pay the price, no matter what it is…"

Her voice died down, when he raised his finger.

"No one is ever ready to pay a price for anything… especially not you. But, by the end of your little game, you _will _be – and then I'll come to claim it…"

Will nodded.

"You need not feel guilty anymore" he said softly. "Every death is merely a failure… a dropping out from a game played by _your _rules, dear, and only yours…"

Oh she'd missed this – so much.

"My questions" Will started quietly "You owe me that."

He merely looked at her, accepting; and waited.

"Why is this happening?"

"Because you were too miserable and alone for the Heart to bear it" he answered. "It'd implode soon, filled with gore and grief you were feeling when that foolish boy betrayed you – I saw what was coming forth, and decided to help you carry the weight of your power."

"Why?"

"Because I want the Heart" Phobos murmured "And from the day you started foolishly spilling your power on the paper…

…I knew that you were just a bit more interesting."

* * *

**Oh, divine artist, come paint the sky**

**Fill in every star, every moon**

**Paint it with fire, with tears, with cry**

**With things that shall never swoon**

Taranee clenched her chest, gasping for some air; it was cold, freezing – horrible – Nigel's voice died down in her ears, until she was alone with the ice…

The world was spinning – surely she was dead, for nothing in the world could ever feel this cold, this dead…

She could not speak; every breath was but a fight with the death, a fight she had no hope of winning.

**Reached towards things most pristine**

**And were thrown to the depths of the Hell;**

**And those that seeked to be burnt**

**In a world of ice they fell…**

She felt her flesh going numb, her limbs colasped on the ground; in the distance, she heard voices… but they were far…

… and she wanted to sleep…

**She played with things made by Gods**

**With angels' flesh, with angels' bones**

**Didn't she know that her own world**

**Was the biggest one of all toys?**

Taranee embraced the ground giving in; for her it was soft as a pillow, now, filled with feathers of ice…

…if she was to fall there, the song of snow would be her lullaby.

* * *

Yes! After several months, I'm updating!

cough No one reviewed my newest oneshot. I'm getting really nervous about my writing… seems like nobody likes it anymore. :( And I really put effort into it… Please review! Nothing is worse than having people read your stories and not like them enough to tell you what they think of them!

Boring talktalk in this chapter. And Taranee's dead. And two of the others will die in the next one… guess who they are! The winner gets a Phobos plushie (God they should so make one; I'd totally buy it. 3)

Dedicated to Seniya. Because her stories were what completely got me into W/P anyway.

I hope this thing made sense to anyone. If not, do not worry, I'll edit this soon enough. Right now I just needed to update.

HA


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